Air-gun



(No Model.)

- H. M. QUAGK'ENBUSH;

AIR GUN.

No.244,484. Patn ted July 19,1881.

3 UNITED {PATENT OFFICE HENRY M. QIIACKENBUSH, on HERKIMER,-NEW YORK.

AIR-GUN.-

SPECIFICATION f raa gpaa of Letters Patent No. 244,484, dated July 19, 1881. A pplication filed May 6,1881. (No model.)

To'allwhom it mayconcemr. V

Be it known that I, HENRY M. QUACKEN- BUSH, a citizen of the United States, residing,

at Herkimer, in the county of Herkimer and State of New York', have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAir-Guns; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled. in the art to which it appertains-to makeand use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures 'of reference marked thereon, which form 'a part of this specification. b

This invention relates to air-guns in which a spring-impelled piston drives the-air from the chamber of arcceiver against a projectile within the tube or barrel. E

It consists partly in the combination of an inclosing-sleeve with the barrel, the sleeve having a longitudinal motionin the receiver, and :he tube or barrel being immovable in the lat- It also consists in the peculiar construction of the trigger-guard and said sleeve, whereby 'said guard limits the outwardmotion of said sleeve and prevents it from turning; also in providing said guard with an eye or bend for grasping near its front end. I

It also consists-in other improvements in construct-ion 'an'dcombination hereinafter set forthand claimed.

The drawings accompanying this specificatlon represent in Figure 1 a vertical-.longitudt nal section of a gun containing my improve-1 ment, and 'i'n Fig. 2 a plan,' while Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the same, taken on the line a b of Fig. 1,and-Fig.'4-a likesection, taken on linec d of saidFig. 1. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of amodified construction of the gun. a In these drawings,'A represents the frame or receiverj? asit is usually termed, of the arm,

which is a straight cylinderof-metal with an axial bore, or chamber A of uniformdiameter,

and containing in such'bore aloosely-fittin g piston, B, which is impelled forward by a coiled spring, 0, placed between its rear end and the rear closed end of the cylinder, 1 l

v I D is the'stock of the gun, E the trigger, and F the sear of the loch-"the said-sear operatingv to arrest or discharge thefpiston'in a manner coinmon to many guns of this class.

In carrying out my improvement I proceed as follows I employ a tube or sleeve,-G, having a straight bore of uniform diameter, andI dispose the rear end of thissleeve within the front 'end of the chamber A, in which it is adapted to slide with an air-tight joint, or practically so, the bore of therecei'v'er constituting the support of the sleeve.

The barrel proper is shown at J as a straight tube of uniform diameter,this tube having a bore, a, of uniform diameter except a contraction at one point, as hereinafter explained, and being deposited within the bore of the sleeve G, which constitutesa support for it, the said barrel J being prevented from rotation within the sleeve and with respect to the receiver by a screw-plug, h, to be hereinafter explained. The sleeveGis adapted to slide longitudinally within the chamber A and act to'depress the piston and its spring, and cock such piston, and when at its extreme forward position serves to close the mouth of the chamber A and prevent escape of air thereat. The bore of the tube J is contracted at its rear end, as shown at c, this contraction or throat, as before stated, serving to swage the projectiles and reduce them to a common diameter before entering the remainder of said here, thereby reducing the friction in the latter.

' The yielding stop-pin before alluded to is shown at d as having a straight'shank, e, which extends through orifice'f inthe top of the barrel, and an opening, g, in the lower end of a screw-plug, h, which is screwed into the top of thereceiver, this: plug'having a pocket, 6, which contains the head of the stop-pin, and a spiral spring, j, which crowds such pin toward the barrel, the stress of such springbeing governed by a screw, 70, screwed into the mouth of the pocket The pointer nose'o'f the stoppin 11 protrudes slightly into the bore of the tube or barrel J, to prevent the shot from sliding out when the gun ispointed'downward, and to offer a weak or yielding impediment to the projectile after the latter has been crowded through the throat 0 into'the-bore of the barrel, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings, and when'the piston is released and driven forward by the'stress of its spring this pin -'yields to the pressure upon the projectile by the current 'of air frombehind, and permits of escape of "such projectile. i

The guard before alluded to is shown at L as a rod of spring metal inserted at its rear end in a socketin the receiver, and securely fastened therein and extending in a line beneath the trigger, and thence alongside the receiver and to the front end of the latter, where it terminates in a reverse bend, by which is formed an eye or hook, Z, in which a persons finger or thumb may be inserted, and a straight spur or stop, on, parallel with the main portion and with the bore of the sleeve Gr, this stop portion m being disposed within a channel, at, in the under side of the said sleeve, and abutting at its rear end (when the sleeve is in its ext-remeoutwardposition)againsttherearboundary or abutment 0 of said channel. The spur or stop at serves to prevent rotation of the sleeve G. The longitudinal elasticity of the guard L relieves, as before stated, the rear end of the sleeve G from the thrusts of the piston as the arm is discharged, while its lateral elasticity permits the stop on to be removed from the channel a when it is desired to remove the two parts of the barrel or the same and the piston and its spring.

To permit of removal of the tube J the screwplug it is raised from out the openin g f in the top of the barrel, while to permit of removal of the sleeve G, or the same and the piston and its spring, the users thumb or finger is inserted in the hook I, and the spur m removed from the channel a.

To crowd the projectile through the throat c in the act of loading the arm I secure within the rear end of the bore of the sleeve G a blade or follower, p, which is disposed in alignment with the bore of the barrel J, a passage, q, remaining about this blade to permit of passage of air from the piston-chamber N of the receiver.

The rear part of the slot I in the sleeve G constitutes the opening through which the projectile is inserted into the end of the barrel J, and a coinciding opening, 1', is created in the upper front part of the receiver for the same purpose. The slot I does not extend to the rear end of the sleeve G. The unslotted rear portion, t, of the latter closes the front end of chamber A, so that no air can pass from said chamber when the piece is fired except such as is driven through said sleeve into the rear end of barrel J.

To aid in lessening the force of the impact of the piston and frameI add to the front end of such piston a pad, 0, of leather, rubber, or other elastic or semi-elastic material, as shown in the accompanying drawings. This pad is inserted in a pocket in the front end of the piston; but it may be secured to the latter by other means.

To load this arm, place the muzzle of the barrel upon the floor or solid abutment, with the palm of the right hand in the hollow of the butt, and then press down upon the butt until the sleeve G is thrust backward to such an extent as to drive the piston B into its chamber and set or cook it in rear of the sear F. The projectile, whether a spherical or other solid slug, or a dart, is now inserted, by hand, in the rear end of the inner tube or barrel, J, and lastly, the sleeve is pulled forward by the user to its extreme position, thereby closing the opening r in the receiver, while at the same time the advance of the follower p crowds the projectile through the throat c in to the bore of the barrel beyond where it is arrested by the stop-pin d. After sighting the arm the trigger is pulled and the piston released and shot forward by its spring, thereby driving a column of air through the chamber A and the bore of the barrel J and expelling the projectile from the latter.

My Patent No. 178,327 shows a barrel made in one piece and sliding longitudinally in the receiver for the same purposes as the longitudinal movement of sleeve G. There are some decided advantages, however, in constructingthe sleeve and tube separately-one is that I am enabled to have both my sights stationary. When the barrel slides it becomes worn, and the forward sight, of course, is in some danger of getting out of an exact line with the rear sight. Again, the construction above described enables me to use the fastenings m a 0 without grooving or weakening the tube J or barrel proper; also, when the sleeve G is worn it can be withdrawn and another substituted, tube J still remaining serviceable. Finally, the sleeve G will brace and shield the barrel, and may have other advantages not herein enumerated.

A modification of my gun is shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, the modified construction relating to the method of introducing the projectile (which is a spherical bullet) into the end of the barrel and discharging it from the latter. In this modification the construction of the gun is the same as before described,

with the following exceptions: In lieu of in-- setting the projectile directly into the end of the barrel byhand and then crowdin git through the throat of the barrel by the return or forward movement of the sleeve, and finally discharging it from the barrel by the current of air through the latter, as before explained, I omit the said sleeve altogether and employ a single barrel, B, which is contained at its rear end within the front end of the receiver and is adapted to slide longitudinally therein, and has a vertical passage, u, created in its upper rear part to permit a bullet to be inserted into its bore a, this passage a being situated immediately in rear of the throat o. The piston has affixed to its front end a rigid dischargingrod, 12, disposed in alignment with the axis of the chamber A and the bore of the barrel, the front end of this rod 21, when the piston is set or cooked and the barrel is at its forward or firing position, remaining immediately in rear of the rear end of the barrel. An opening, w,

is createdin the top of the receiver A and communicates with the rear end of the chamber A, and is so situated that when the barrel B is pushed rearward to its fullest extent within the said chamber in the act of cooking the piston, the passage to coincides with the passage uof the barrel andpermits a bullet to be dropped into the latter, and so as to rest upon the rear end of the dischargingrod 0;, the greater part of such rod at this time being inclosed by the bore of the barrel, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

The operation of this modified form is as follows: To prepare the arm for loading, the barrel is pushed rearward (by any suitable means) until the piston passes beyond the sear F and is cooked, at which time the two passages to w coincide. A bullet is now dropped into the passage u upon the top of the rod '0 and the barrel pulled forward to its extreme position, the bullet meanwhile rolling along the rod '0 until, as the barrel completes its outward movement, such bullet passes beyond the rod and drops from the front end of such rod into the rear end of the bore of the barrel immediately in rear of the throat 0. Upon the trigger being pulled and the piston and its rod '1; shot forward, the rod in its passage drives the bullet (shown at a: in said Fig. 5 of the drawings) through the throat, and in conjunction with a current of air discharges it from the barrel, the

bullet in its passage through the throat being swaged to a given diameter, in manner and for the purpose as hereinbefore explained.

In this modification the guard L acts as a yielding or elastic recoil-seat to the barrel, and its stop m enters a groove, 3 in the underside of the barrel B, the rear boundary, 2, of this abutment bringing up against such stop when the barrel is in its firing position.

I claim- 1. In combination with barrel J and receiver A, the sliding sleeve G, surrounding said barrel and filling the end of chamber .A to compel all the'air driven from said chamber in the act of firing to pass through said sleeve and barrel.

2. The combination of sleeve G with tube or barrel J, which it surrounds, and tubular receiver A, which surrounds the rear end of said sleeve, the barrel being immovable with respect to the receiver, and the sleeve adapted to slide longitudially with respect to said tube and receiver.

3. In combination with receiver A, piston B, and sleeve G, sliding within said receiver, and having a rear opening or passage, q, abarrel or tube, J, having a tapered throat, c, in its bore, near the rear end thereof, and a blade, 1), which protrudes from said passageq into said barrel, substantially as set forth.

4. The stop-pin d, spring g, and recessed screw h, in combination with receiver A, piston B, sleeve G within said receiver, and tube J within said sleeve, substantially as set forth.

5. In combination with the tubular receiver and the piston, the tube J, with its throat or contraction c, and the sleeve G,with its followerv p, the tube being immovable with respect to the barrel, and the sleeve encompassing and sliding upon the tube and closing the mouth of the receiver, as and for purposes explained.

6. The elastic guard L, bent to form a stop for sleeve G, in combination with said sleeve, and a shoulder or stop thereon, receiver A, and spring-impelled piston B, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7 The guard L, in combination with stock D, to which itis attached, receiver A, and sleeve G, longitudinally recessed or grooved on its under side, the forward end of said guard having a straight piece, m, which sets into said longitudinal recess to prevent the rotation of said sleeve.

. 8. The guard L bent to form a loop or eye, I, and a terminal piece, m, in combination with longitudinally-grooved sleeve G, substantially as set forth.

9. The elastic guard L, having straight part m, in combination with receiver A, stock D, and sleeve G, the latter having groove n and stop or shoulder o, substantially as set forth.

10. In an air-gun, the combination of a barrel having a taper throat or chamber with a swagin g follower, the longitudinal movement of one of said parts causing said follower to force the bullet through said throat, for the purpose set forth.

11. In combination with a receiver and a barrel, the sleeve G, around said barrel but within said receiver, and the blade 12, which sets within the rear passage, q, of said sleeve, leaving space on each side of said blade for air to be driven through said passage.

I testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY M. QUAOKEN BUSH.

Witnesses:

J. A. CLARK, A. S. BRUSH. 

